Shoe stretching device



June 14, 1932. w, s-r 1,862,940

SHOE STRETCHING DEVICE Filed Nov. 19, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l Us? 6 Q INVENTOR Whi s}? 7%.. and a g moms f W. E. RALSTIN SHOE STRETCHING DEVICE 7 June 14, 1932.

' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 19, 1950 W Ma a ATTORNEV S' IIIIIIIA lllflffl'lllllflilfIIIIIIIIIII'I'IIIIt/IllfllllllI Patented June 14, 1932 WILLIAM E. RALSTIN, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO WILLIAM A.

HARRIS, OF FORT WORTH, TEXAS SHOE strnnrcnnvo DEVICE Application filed. November 19, 1980. Serial No. 496,719.

This invention relates to a shoe stretching A U-shaped member 9 has the ends of its device, the general object of the invention being to provide means for stretching the leather of certain portions of a shoe by subjecting the same to the action of inner and outer rollers so that the leather is stretched and softened, the invention being mainly designed for stretching the vamp portions of shoes, particularly the vamp portions of pumps and strap shoes.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described illustrated in the accompanying drawings and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawings wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which Figure 1 is an elevation of the device.

Figure 2 is an elevation of portion thereof and showing the rollers in contact.

Figure 3 is a top plan view.

Figure 4 is an end View looking toward the rollers.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 6 is a detail view of the crank shaft and the pitman rods which are pivoted to the cranks thereof.

Figure 7 is a detail sectional view showing how one of the free rollers is mounted on its carrying part. V

In these views, the numeral 1 indicates an upright which has itslower end fastened to a base 2. A casing 3 is connected with the upper end of the upright and a tube 4 has one end inserted in one endof the casing and the tube is supported by said casing. A bearing member 5 is inserted in the other end of the casing. A shaft 6 passes through the tube 4; and the casing and has one end journaled in the member 5 and the shaft is also ournaled l in the outer end of the tube 4. A roller 7 is fastened to that end of the shaft which eX- tends from the free end of the tube 4 and a handle 8 is connected with the other end of the shaft so that said shaft and the roller can be rotated.

limbs bent outwardly and these bent ends carry the rollers 10, these rollers being rotatably arranged on the ends of the U-shaped member. Each of the three rollers is of frusto-conical shape with its large end outermost. Adjacent the bent portions of the U- shaped member, the limbs thereof are fastened to the ends of the limbs of a small U-shaped member 11 which has its bight arranged un der the tube 4 and its limbs extending upwardly on each side of the tube and said bight is rotatably supported under the tube by the bracket 12 which is fastened tothe tube. Thus the U-shaped member 9 is supported for rocking movement and in such a manner that the rollers 10 can be moved against the roller 7 when the bight end of. the U-shaped member 9 is raised and when said end is lowered, the rollers 10 are moved upwardly away from the roller 7 so that part of a shoe A can be placed on the roller 7 as shown in Figure 5. Then when the member 9 is positioned to lower the rollers 10, these rollers will engage the part of the shoe resting upon the roller 7 so that when the shaft 6 is turned by its handle 8, all of the rollers will rotate and thus that part of the shoe engaged by the rollers will be stretched and softened.

The limbs of the U-shaped member, adjacentthe bight, are each formed with an eye forming member 13, rods 14 passing through the eyes and having springs 15 at their lower ends on which the member 9 rests. The upper ends of these rods 14 are pivoted to the cranks 16 of a shaft 17 journaled on the casing 3 and having a handle 18 connected with one end thereof. Thus by means of said handle, the shaft can he rocked to move the member 9 to cause the rollers 10 to engage or disengage the roller 7 the springs 15 acting to yieldingly hold the rollers 10 against the roller 7 or rather against the vamp of the shoe placed on said roller 7.

Thus I have provided simple means for stretching the Vamps of shoes by subjecting them to a rolling action which acts to stretch and soften the leather.

. It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention Will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be made in the construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, provided that such changes fall with in the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a shaft rotatably arranged therein, a roller carried by the shaft, a- U-shaped member supported for rocking movement by the frame, a roller rotatably arranged on the extremity of each limb of the U-shaped member, means for moving said member to a position Where the rollers carried thereby will be moved against the first roller, and means for rotating the shaft to impart rotary movement to the rollers.

2. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a shaft rotatably arranged therein, a frusto-conical roller carried by the shaft, a U-shaped member supported for rocking movement by the frame, a frusto-conical roller on the extremity of each limb of the U-shaped member, a crank shaft journaled in the frame, a rod connecting the crank thereof with the U-shaped member, a handle for rocking the crank shaft to bring the rollers of the U-shaped member against the first roller, and means for rotating the shaft to impart rotary movement to the rollers.

3. A device of the class described comprising a supporting frame, a shaft rotatably arranged therein, a roller thereon on Which a vamp of a shoe is adapted to be placed, a second roller supported for rocking movement on the supporting frame, means for positioning the second roller against the vamp, means for yieldingly holding the second roller against the vamp of a shoe, and means for rotating one of the rollers Whereby the other roller will be rotated and the 1 vamp will be stretched and softened.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

WILLIAM E. RALSTIN 

